Ridvan Yilmaz MIGHT be fit to return to Rangers’ side for the Old Firm derby next weekend. But he might not.

And if that turns out to be the case there won’t be much debate over who takes his place at left-back. Borna Barisic is the alternative option after being ousted as first choice by the Turk as he likely enters the final few months of his time at Ibrox, with Trabzonspor lining up an end-of-contract swoop.

The Croat spent years as the main man in that position but has started just 12 Premiership games this season and three since December. It may be partly down to his own trajectory but it’s also because Yilmaz has properly cemented a starting spot after coming to life as a Rangers player.

Barisic has had some bad moments in derbies in the past – conceding cheap goals at the back post on more than one occasion. So there may be fears among the support should he be required for this one. Ferguson doesn’t hold any.

He said in the Daily Record: “It’s good news that Ridvan Yilmaz could be back for the Old Firm game because the little man has made a huge impression ever since the winter break and has nailed down the left back berth for himself.

“He’s been a slow burner – and that can happen with any young player adjusting to life in a new country – but he’s a proper Rangers player now and I’m sure the manager will want him back fit as quickly as possible.

“But, in the meantime, Borna Barisic might have to step back into the line-up and I have no qualms at all about that. Yes, he may be coming towards the end of his time at the club but his commitment to the cause has never been in doubt. If this is going to be his last few months in Glasgow then I am positive he’ll want to bow out with another championship in his bag.

“There could be no better way to say goodbye after so many years of service. Borna has obviously been heavily linked with a potential move to Trabzonspor and, as he’s out of contract this summer, he may have an eye on his next move.”

Three conceivable outcomes for Brendan Rodgers when the Celtics manager attends today’s SFA hearing

Today is the day of reckoning for Brendan Rodgers as the Celtic manager faces an SFA tribunal for his match official comments after the Hearts defeat last month.

Don Robertson awarded a dubious penalty and sent off Hyunjun Yang in the 2-0 Tynecastle defeat after intervention from John Beaton who was on VAR that afternoon.

The Celtic manager was livid with the match officials but saved his most telling comments for Beaton who instigated the moves by Robertson to make both decisions in the game.

Rodgers said at the time, “That there is absolutely shocking decision-making. I feel really disappointed, one for the players and two for our supporters.

“I thought the officials were very, very poor. You’ll have to ask John Beaton in VAR what he’s seeing.”

Rodgers went on further in a separate post-match interview and branded the match officials ‘incompetent‘ and it is those comments that have landed the Celtic boss in hot water.

So what could the Celtic manager face today as he heads to Hampden and how could the SFA suits deal with this situation?

Brendan Rodgers’ potential SFA sanctions

According to the SFA charge, Rodgers broke disciplinary rule no 72 where the Celtic manager’ is accused of’s comments ‘indicate bias or incompetence’ by the match officials. [SFA]

If found guilty, the SFA could make an example of Rodgers and he could face a minimum two-game dugout ban which means he could potentially miss this Sunday’s match against Livingston and then the following Glasgow Derby game against Rangers at Ibrox.

But that’s only if the SFA set the ban on two games. Any harsher punishment could see Rodgers miss the St Mirren game on the 13th of April.

Another route the SFA could go down is to still find Rodgers guilty but offer a two-game suspended sentence or one game served and one game suspended punishment.

According to the SFA handbook, punishments are handed out based on the offender’s previous disciplinary record, good character, remorse for actions and conduct since the offence and during the hearing.

Since Rodgers has no previous record the national association could go down this route but seeing as the Celtic manager hasn’t shown any hint of regret over his comments, that may make it difficult for the SFA to show leniency.

Another possible outcome is that Rodgers faces no punishment at all. We told yesterday how Celtic hired a lawyer, Nick De Marco, who is an expert on these disciplinary hearings.

De Marco successfully defended Scott Brown from an SFA charge in 2019 where the Celtic captain was accused of over-celebrating a Glasgow Derby win at Ibrox.

He has been involved in Leicester City’s continuous Financial Fair Play situation, Nottingham Forest’s appeal against their points deduction, and Newcastle United’s takeover.

Whatever argument or case De Marco puts forward could get Rodgers off but I would suspect that would be highly unlikely considering the comments made by the Celtic manager are in black and white.

Whatever the outcome, all eyes are on the SFA today and it will be interesting to see what their verdict will be.

‘Possibly’: Tam McManus makes bizarre claim about Celtic’s Callum McGregor after latest Scotland result

As it’s international week, it’s always good to keep a close eye on the Celtic players who are away representing their countries over this two week period.

Celtic have ten players on international duty with the likes of Adam Idah at the Republic of Ireland and Matt O’Riley away with Denmark.

Unfortunately, Callum McGregor couldn’t make Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad due to his recent injury and after the 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands last week, the Scotland boss certainly needs him back in the squad.

Not because his team played poorly but merely because having McGregor in the team may have given Clarke a better chance of pulling off a result with the Celtic captain’s experience and quality in the heart of the Scotland midfield.

If we are all honest, the national side did play well without McGregor in the team and it prompted Tam McManus to make this weird claim after the 4-0 Rotterdam result.

McManus: McGregor could struggle to get back into Scotland team

Yeah, you read that correctly. Tam McManus believes the Celtic captain will need to work hard to get his place back in the Scotland midfield.

McManus said [PLZ Soccer], “I thought Scotland for 60-70 minutes was superb. He made a lot of changes. I thought our midfield was superb against a good Netherlands team.

“And I thought that three in there with McTominay, John McGinn and particularly Billy Gilmour, who I thought was superb.

“It’s going to be a job for Callum McGregor possibly to get back into that midfield because I thought the three of them really dominated a good Netherlands team.”

With 53 caps to his name, McGregor has been an ever-present for Scotland and, in particular, Steve Clarke ever since the former Kilmarnock manager got the job in May 2019.

McGregor has missed just five games for Scotland under Clarke, two through injury and rested for the 4-1 France defeat as the Celtic midfielder helped the national side to two back-to-back Euros.

In the 47 times McGregor has been capped by Clarke he has only not finished a full 90 minutes on 17 occasions. In eight of those 17 appearances the Hoops legend was on the park for 75+ minutes. And not only has he just turned up, McGregor has been superb for Clarke in all of his appearances. [Transfermarkt]

Does McManus seriously think that the Celtic captain is about to be dropped after just one good performance without McGregor in the side?

What’s that good old Scottish phrase again? Give your ‘heid a wobble son’.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor misses out on prestigious international award

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers will be keen to use the international break to make sure his squad are match-ready for the season run-in.

With eight games to go, the Bhoys sit one point ahead of Rangers in the Scottish Premiership title race heading into their trip to Livingston on Sunday.

Of course, Rodgers also has the chance to see his side’s name inscribed on the Scottish Cup trophy for the second year running if they can negotiate a tricky tie against Aberdeen at Hampden in the last four, followed by a victory over Rangers or Heart of Midlothian in the final.

Nevertheless, the Irishman won’t be getting too ahead of himself, with his primary focus likely to be on ensuring his key men return for our final charge towards the finish line.

Later this week, when we travel to West Lothian, club captain Callum McGregor, Japanese midfielder Reo Hatate, and Republic of Ireland defender Liam Scales could all return for the contest against David Martindale’s outfit.

The former has been left out of Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad due to his current injury status; however, as long as he is fit, McGregor is a shoo-in to be on the plane to Germany for EURO 2024.

Despite his absence, Greg Taylor and Anthony Ralston have linked up with the Tartan Army over the break, and the latter came on as a late substitute in a 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands last Friday [BBC Sport].

Celtic’s Callum McGregor misses out on international award

Earlier this month, McGregor received recognition for his performances at international level by being nominated for the William Hill Men’s International Player of the Year.

Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay, Aston Villa captain John McGinn, and Norwich City’s Angus Gunn were among the other names on a four-man shortlist for the prize, which Scottish Football Writers Association members have voted on since.

Unfortunately for McGregor, his Scotland teammate McTominay was the eventual winner. In truth, it would’ve been hard to deny the 27-year-old, given his seven-goal tally during EURO 2024 qualifying that helped Scotland to qualify for Germany [SFWA official website].

Nevertheless, our captain also played an important role in the nation’s success and will be expected to be a key man for club and country from now until the end of the season.

Hopefully, McGregor can pack his bags for Germany this summer off the back of lifting two pieces of silverware for his club!

Lawrence Shankland display hailed ‘outstanding’ by Scotland team-mate as Northern Ireland clash branded must-win

Celtic are able to enjoy some time off club duty as the international break takes precedence for the next couple of weeks.

Following our victory over St Johnstone last weekend, the Bhoys now sit top of the pile and will feel a renewed belief in their pursuit of the Scottish Premiership title.

Brendan Rodgers has also landed a major injury boost after Reo Hatate came through 45 minutes of a bounce match against St Mirren at Lennoxtown yesterday.

If his recovery work goes to plan, it is expected that the Japan international will have some form of involvement in our away trip to Livingston next Sunday.

Of course, his long-term injury problems prevented him from featuring in the Japan squad in their latest batch of World Cup qualifying matches.

However, his compatriot Daizen Maeda made the trip for the Samurai Blue’s double-header against North Korea, reaping the rewards of his positive Celtic form.

Without further ado, 67 Hail Hail takes a look at how Maeda got on earlier today at the Japan National Stadium.

Celtic winger Daizen Maeda stars for Japan in win vs North Korea

Earlier today, Japan made it three from three in the World Cup 2026 Asian qualifiers, narrowly edging past North Korea courtesy of an early goal from Fortuna Düsseldorf midfielder Ao Tanaka [ESPN].

Maeda played the entire 90 minutes for his national side, earning a Fotmob match rating of 7.6/10 for his industrious performance.

The 26-year-old created one goalscoring opportunity, had a solitary shot on goal and enjoyed four touches in the opposition box; however, his defensive work stood out more, which won’t surprise any Celtic supporter.

According to the statistical outlet, Maeda won ten out of his 14 contested ground duels (71%), coupled with six successful challenges and three ball recoveries, and managed all of this without giving away a single foul.

Few players exceed Maeda’s desire to work tirelessly for his national side, making him a dependable presence for club and country whenever called upon.

Japan now top their World Cup Second Round Group B table with nine points from three matches played [TNT Sports].

Hajime Moriyasu’s men travel to Pyongyang next Tuesday for their reverse fixture against North Korea. Kick-off will commence at 8 a.m. sharp.

‘That’s why’: The real reason Brendan Rodgers didn’t immediately use Gustaf Lagerbielke at Celtic this weekend

Brendan Rodgers’ decision to put Tomoki Iwata in the heart of the Celtic defence on Saturday instead of subbing on Gustaf Lagerbielke caused a real debate amongst the pundits at the weekend.

Cameron Carter-Vickers was taken off when Celtic were 3-0 up against Craig Levein’s side and cruising when Rodgers decided to put on Odin Thiago Holm and move Iwata into the back four.

It was a decision that could prove costly at the end of the season as former Celtic hero, Pat Bonner, suggested that had Lagerbielke been in the back four then St Johnstone would not have scored and therefore negatively impacted the Hoops’ goal difference.

With the title race so tight, goal difference looks like it could come into play and we all know how that has affected title races in the past.

However, Mark Wilson believes he knows why Rodgers decided to leave Laegerbielke on the bench as the former Celtic defender explains the Parkhead gaffer’s reasoning behind his decision.

Wilson said [Superscoreboard], “I think he wanted Holm to go on the pitch and he probably thought that I’m three up now, easy street, Celtic would have loads of the ball and Iwata starting moves from the back.

“That’s what you want.

“He’s clearly miles off it. He probably didn’t deserve it, on merit, to go on. Because that’s what it’s got to be. You’ve got merit playing for the club and that’s the starting eleven.

“But even if you’re not in the starting eleven, then you’ve got to be showing in training that you merit coming off the bench.

“So when you see these guys sitting on the bench and not coming on, they’re sitting on the bench for a reason.

“Now it’s different when you have made a change and you’ve only got one centre half in there against a physical St Johnstone team, you then managed the situation yourself and that’s why Lagerbielke comes in through necessity just to see out the game.”

Needless goals Celtic have conceded in the title race

The Celtic fans will be hoping that the goal conceded to St Johnstone will not come into play in the title race.

But in truth, there have been many occasions where Celtic have conceded where they really shouldn’t have this season. And it’s also cost them points.

Celtic conceded two late goals against Motherwell this season. In the game at Fir Park in September, it thankfully didn’t cost us points as Matt O’Riley’s last-minute strike won the game.

But the goal at Celtic Park in the 1-1 draw proved damaging for Celtic as Joe Hart flapped at a cross which allowed Jonathan Obika to nick one in the 90th minute.

Here are other goals that were preventable that may prove costly for Celtic:

• August 5th: Celtic 4 v 2 Ross County – Cruising at 3-0 and County score in the 60th and 90th minute.
• October 7th: Celtic 3 v 1 Kilmarnock – 2-0 up and Killie score in the 70th minute
• October 22nd: Hearts 1 v 4 Celtic – 3-0 up and Lawrence Shankland scores in 64th minute
• December 6th: Celtic 4 v 1 Hibs – 4-0 up and Christian Doig strikes on the 70th minute
• December 30th: Celtic 2 v 1 Rangers – 2-0 up and allow James Tavernier to score an 88th minute 30-yard free kick
• February 28th: Celtic 7 v Dundee 1 – 7-0 up and Michael Mellon scores on the 84th minute [Transfermarkt]

All goals were conceded late and all goals were completely preventable. Had we not conceded these when we would have been six goals to the good with a one-point lead at the top.

The Celtic fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that the league title won’t come down to goal difference again and be left looking back at these fixtures wondering, ‘What if.’